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Johnny Be Good
MGM // R // August 5, 2003
List Price: $14.95 [Buy now and save at Amazon]
THE MOVIE
I'm one of the poor souls who actually saw Johnny Be Good in the theaters, and while my memory isn't what it used to be, I distinctly remember that the movie was rated PG-13 and not R, as this DVD version is. Sure enough, a quick search of the Internet verified this, as apparently the video release had footage added to give the film an R rating, and that's the version MGM has released on DVD.
I also remember the main reason why I went to see Johnny Be Good in the theater back when I was still in my teens: for the promise of football action and perhaps a glimpse of female skin! Sadly, this movie doesn't provide much of either – but now that I'm an older and (somewhat) more mature viewer, I wanted to judge the movie for what it was, rather than what it was not. And you know what? It's still not very good.
Anthony Michael Hall stars as Johnny Walker, a high school senior and football star who not only seems to be the team's leading quarterback, but also their leading return man and punter. Every recruiter in the nation wants Johnny to come to their college, and the best parts of Johnny Be Good concern his trips to the various colleges – the most entertaining of which is a trip to the home of the Texas Horny Toads, where Johnny finds out from the recruiter's wife just how the football team got its name (in a manner of speaking).
Of course, as with most teeny-bopper films of the 80's, our hero is faced with the dilemma of taking the big cash and perks or following his heart and going to a real school to get a real education. No bonus points for figuring out how this one ends, but it's a shame the movie couldn't be funnier in the process of getting there.
THE DVD
Video:
Sadly, we get another full-frame release of an older title from MGM. The transfer is actually quite good (for fans of the film that may be wanting to replace their VHS copy) with little evidence of any dirt or grain on the picture. However, considering the movie's been out on VHS for quite some time (meaning those looking to rent it will have already done so), why wouldn't MGM go through the trouble of providing a widescreen version since the only people likely to pick this one up will be fans of the movie?
Audio:
Nothing spectacular in the audio department. Just a 2.0 Track that proves serviceable, but doesn't really enhance the many songs that are part of the movie soundtrack (like most 80's films, this one has a rock song playing in the background of almost every scene). The audio is good enough not to take away from the movie…but a digitally remastered 5.1 track would have been welcome.
Extras:
Other than a Chapter Selection, this DVD only offers the original Theatrical Trailer for the movie, and it's not in very good shape, with noticeable dirt all over the print.
THE BOTTOM LINE
While it's far from the worst movie from the 1980's, or even the worse movie Anthony Michael Hall has starred in, the lack of much improvement over the VHS edition and MGM's choice not to put any effort into bonus materials make Johnny Be Good really not worth the money. While I'm sure die-hard fans of the film (and the two of you know who you are!) may want to upgrade to this DVD, it's one that I can't recommend to the casual viewer or DVD purchaser.
I'm one of the poor souls who actually saw Johnny Be Good in the theaters, and while my memory isn't what it used to be, I distinctly remember that the movie was rated PG-13 and not R, as this DVD version is. Sure enough, a quick search of the Internet verified this, as apparently the video release had footage added to give the film an R rating, and that's the version MGM has released on DVD.
I also remember the main reason why I went to see Johnny Be Good in the theater back when I was still in my teens: for the promise of football action and perhaps a glimpse of female skin! Sadly, this movie doesn't provide much of either – but now that I'm an older and (somewhat) more mature viewer, I wanted to judge the movie for what it was, rather than what it was not. And you know what? It's still not very good.
Anthony Michael Hall stars as Johnny Walker, a high school senior and football star who not only seems to be the team's leading quarterback, but also their leading return man and punter. Every recruiter in the nation wants Johnny to come to their college, and the best parts of Johnny Be Good concern his trips to the various colleges – the most entertaining of which is a trip to the home of the Texas Horny Toads, where Johnny finds out from the recruiter's wife just how the football team got its name (in a manner of speaking).
Of course, as with most teeny-bopper films of the 80's, our hero is faced with the dilemma of taking the big cash and perks or following his heart and going to a real school to get a real education. No bonus points for figuring out how this one ends, but it's a shame the movie couldn't be funnier in the process of getting there.
THE DVD
Video:
Sadly, we get another full-frame release of an older title from MGM. The transfer is actually quite good (for fans of the film that may be wanting to replace their VHS copy) with little evidence of any dirt or grain on the picture. However, considering the movie's been out on VHS for quite some time (meaning those looking to rent it will have already done so), why wouldn't MGM go through the trouble of providing a widescreen version since the only people likely to pick this one up will be fans of the movie?
Audio:
Nothing spectacular in the audio department. Just a 2.0 Track that proves serviceable, but doesn't really enhance the many songs that are part of the movie soundtrack (like most 80's films, this one has a rock song playing in the background of almost every scene). The audio is good enough not to take away from the movie…but a digitally remastered 5.1 track would have been welcome.
Extras:
Other than a Chapter Selection, this DVD only offers the original Theatrical Trailer for the movie, and it's not in very good shape, with noticeable dirt all over the print.
THE BOTTOM LINE
While it's far from the worst movie from the 1980's, or even the worse movie Anthony Michael Hall has starred in, the lack of much improvement over the VHS edition and MGM's choice not to put any effort into bonus materials make Johnny Be Good really not worth the money. While I'm sure die-hard fans of the film (and the two of you know who you are!) may want to upgrade to this DVD, it's one that I can't recommend to the casual viewer or DVD purchaser.
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